I was working horses all morning this morning, and have a short list of training questions I wanted to ask. These all came from our session this morning. I worked two horses. My fiancée cow horse and my Quarter Horse, who is really a "nothing" horse.

First, a few questions about my boyfriends cow horse:
1. I tried to teach her to "send" in between me and the fence. She would send just fine, but walked literally 2 inches from me. Then, when she would yield her hindquarters on the other side of me, she would scoot back and stand behind and beside me. So, I would have to take a step back to send her the other direction. How can I get her to send farther away, and not move Benind me?

For my horse, I have quite a few more questions! Haha.
1. When I'm lounging her and I ask for a direction change, she won't turn in toward the fence like I would like. She HAS before but not on command. Usually, she turns and runs across the pen and goes the other direction. A few times. She has ran across pretty close to me, with ears penned. I whip her butt when she does this, but I really want her to turn toward the fence.
2. I'm working on her a lot with neck reining and she is doing okay, but sometimes when I touch her neck with fhe rein, she will just stop like I pulled back. I'm leaving a loose rein and use really soft hands, but I'm not sure why she is just stopping.

I think the biggest problem is her turning, running through the middle of the pen near me and Penning her ears. She is a dominant horse anyway, but she joins up with me willingly has never offered to kick out at me. She is extremely respectful, just not when I ask her for a direction change.

My app did this like he was charging me but not coming directly at me. I actually used a rope and when asked to turn I would rush him threw the turn and push him using body language back to the fence is he didn't respond to this or if came too close to me I would sling the rope out at him. Using a whip only made him worse and more aggressive. He responded good to the rope though. When he won't turn tight now all I have to do is take a step towards him and he will back off and stay on the fence.Posted via Mobile Device

I don't think a horse is extremely respectful in one thing and not another. That "respectful" people always talk about is when the horse figures out that you can move their feet anywhere you want AND, you are very clear, consistent and firm, so they gravitate toward that and join up/follow you as a leader.

So, the horse "joining up" wiht you easily is probably more likely she knows to do so means no more work an she'll be happy to go along with that. In fact, it's her idea anyway, so it looks like she is followng you.

I am not big on the whole "respect" thing. It's just too anthropomorphic.

However, her passing close to you in the round pen with pinned ears is definitely her trying to "push" on you .So, she has not let go of the idea that she calls the shots.

Her going throught the "squeeze game" too close to you can be part of what I mentioned above, and part her being nervous about being too close to the fence, with you on her other side, too. For that, you need to work on sending her between you and the fence starting out with larger gaps and working toward a narrower gap.

Her not turning correctly but hunkering down behind you is also her avoiding work and pushing on you. Your backing up is never the correct response, unless your life is in danger.

Buck Branaman says, "There's no back up in my feet", when he works horses on the line. If she is too close or behind you, move her off! It doesn't matter if the turn is pretty or perfect shaped. If you do not invited her up close to you, then you move her off, now! Throw the slack line up at her underjaw and shoo! Her back. Forget trying to have her move a certain way or a certain place. Just get so you can move her away from you.

In the round pen, when you try to turn her, you of course step in front of her direction of travel, right? Then instead of turning she veers off and almost brushes you with her shoulder? If you can reach her without being within kicking range, smack the shoulder. Start making her turn alot more.

ANd, I venture to bet that when you ask her to move forward, she is slow and resentful about it and maybe pins her ears then? Get after her until she LEAPS forward when you say so. Then quit.

Tinyliny is right. Keep practicing better skills and don't back up. Also, don't swat her butt as she goes by as that's either punishment or go faster. Take a stand before she gets to you and indicate DON'T COME HERE! TO HER FACE. This goes back to the very basics so that's where you need to be.

The things you describe are addressed almost exactly in Clionton Andersons fundamentals series. In the Sending exercise, a couple of things come to mind. First, when she gets too close to you, use a handy stick to tap (all the way to smack if necessary) to move her away from you. She should maintain about a 3-4foot distance from you. If she is moving around behind you, you may be yielding here hindquarters too late. Try beginning her yield as her hindquarters pass your belly button. That wil help her getting behind you. Also, don't step back to resend her, back her out of your space get her into position and then resend her. Remember, he who moves their feet first, loses.

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